A string of successes for our vocal students
With passion, skill and stage presence, our vocal students have impressed the judges at prestigious international competitions and celebrated great successes in recent months.
Duangamorn Fu, a soprano from Thailand in Prof. Anna Samuil’s class, was awarded first prize in the song duo category at the “Triomphe de l’Art” International Vocal Competition in Brussels, Belgium. In the same competition, the soprano Leyli Alina Schöfer from Germany, also a student of Prof. Anna Samuil, won first prize in the junior category as well as a special prize. Furthermore, in November 2025, she was awarded first prize, the special prize for the best interpretation of a Dvořák aria, and the special prize of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra at the International Dvořák Competition in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
The South Korean soprano Elizabeth Kim, a student of Prof. Christine Schäfer, was also successful at the Dvořák Competition, winning third prize.
The Japanese soprano Kanon Adachi, who studies with Prof. Britta Schwarz and Prof. Renate Faltin, won the Slovak National Opera Prize at the 8th International Vocal Competition Gabriela Beňačková in Jihlava, Czech Republic. At the same competition, South Korean soprano Chaeseon Kwak, a student of Prof. Anna Korondi, received the Special Prize of the ‘Peter Dvorský’ International Music Festival, which comes with an engagement at the festival.
The Estonian soprano Annabel Soode, a student of Prof. Anna Samuil, was a finalist in the “Stars of Classical Music” competition held in Tallinn, Estonia, in November 2025, where she won the Vanemuine Theatre Special Prize, which included a contract for the 2026/27 season.
Hannah Schmidt-Ott, a soprano from Berlin and a student of Prof. Britta Schwarz, was a prize-winner at the International Singing Competition of the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg in 2025.
The Chinese baritone Juncan Zhu was awarded the Dmitri Hvorostovsky Prize at the Premiere Opera Foundation’s International Voice Competition in December 2025 in New York, USA. From 2020 to 2025, he studied first for his Master’s degree and then for his concert exam under Prof. Thomas Quasthoff.
Soprano Isabelle Nahrstedt, who is taught by Prof. Anna Korondi, was awarded second prize and the Young Talent Prize at the ‘Grandi Voci’ International Opera Singing Competition in Salzburg in February 2026.
By taking part in competitions, the vocal students not only gain valuable performance experience, but are also given lasting support in the development and advancement of their careers through the engagements and networking opportunities associated with the prizes.